Apparatus for measuring and depositing plastic substances



April 16,1929. J. P. BUNCE (195 APPARATUS FOR mmsunrue AND DBPOSITINGPLA's'rIc SUBSTANCES Filed June 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Shed 1 FIGJ.

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A ril 16, 1929'- J. P. BUNCE 1,709,519 APPARATUS FOR MEASURING ANDDEPOSITING PLASTIC SUBSTANCES Filed June 15; 19 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

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Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

UNITED ST T S JOHN PEECIVALBUNCE, DEGEAsEn, BY Gwmn'omm DEN'NI BUNCADMINISTRA- TRIX, or GREENFORD, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BAKER PERKINS 00.me, or sacr- NAW, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or NEWYOR APPARATUS 130aMEASURING AND nnrosrrme PLASTIC suBsrANcE-s.

Application filed June 15, 1923, Serial No. 2 85,6 70, and inGreatBritain June 28,1927.

This invention relates to apparatus for measuring and depositing plasticsubstances such as chocolate, particularly for the pur- 'fposeof'delivering'the same into moulds, al-

5 though not limited to such purpose, and inwhich there is used areceptacle forthe ma terial' together with measuring and feeding rollersfor discharging the material there I fronr ancl means for varying. theangular l0 movement given to said rollers so as to vary Y the quantitiesof mater al discharged.

The rollers are provided ontheirperipheries with, or sojformed'as toproduce, pe-

, riphe'ralteeth, undulations, corrugations or the like which, if theaxes of the rollers were placed sufliciently close together, would moreorless engageor intermesh and, moonjunction with a portion of thereceptacle,

' with the inner wall of which certain of said teeth or undulationscontact, would form an approximately sealed measuring chamberj intowhich the material is conducted by v the rotation of the rollers andforced therefrom' through a discharge opening in the position betweenthe peripheries of the roll I ers of'an oscillatory closure wh ch has apassage Way into the remainder of the vessel,

7 this passage'.way being closable by a relief valve, fTheeXtrusionorifice of the depositing chamber. is also, provided with a -valve.- .35These two valves .inay be" operated by means, preferably external to thechamber, so that when either valve is closed the other is opened. In analternative form the first mentioned valve may" be an automatic relief40 a valve for the depositingchamber, as for eX'- ample a springoperated valve, and the second mentioned valve may be mechanicallyoperated. By this constructlonat is unnocessaryto provide forintermittence in the revolution of themeasurmg and feeding rollers, andf desired also 1t is poss ble to' avoidthe necessity for varyingthespeed of revolution of the rollers,lsince either or'both ofthese resultsmay be attained by suitably ao timed and regulated operation ofthevalvesaforesaid or of only the-extrusion valve if the rehefuvalve isof the automatic type. Any excessof material fed by the measuring anygiven period of timewill pass back into the body of the 'vessel through'the relief scribed permits'of dealing with plastic substances such' aschocolate"-whichcontain lumps 'suchja's nuts or fruits which wouldotherwiselbecome broken or vdamaged by inter-engagement of-theundulations or teeth of the rollers-.-}- 1 i The; vessel is preferablyprovided with beater sor stirrers to keep the body of mates rial inmotion, and additional feed wheels operatingon the material by-surfacefriction may also'beprov1ded soas to facilitate and ensure that thematerial As apparatus of this character is usually in' or on moulds orplatesa' s they pass beneaththe extrusion orifice,rit is frequentlyconvenient that the vessel as'a' whole may be ment of said'moulds duringthe actual-extrusion phase and beret-urned-i'in the reverse directionduringthe cut off phase. The vessel may therefore be mounted ontrunnions or v the like and means maybe provided for giving a rocking,movement :of suitable rate,

amplitude and timing.

Inasmuch also as it :is generally desirable that the apparatusmay beused for depositing in a plurality of rows, the depositing chamber isdivided by a number of parallel platesof suitableshape so as; toconstitute a number of separate chambers!" The teeth of the 111621-8111?ing and'feedingrollers are slotted for the .passage 'of'th'ese platesand the-latter extend up- PATENT OFFIC nd feeding rollers into thedepositing chamher over that which is to be extruded during y passestothe meas l 'urlng and feeding rollers.

intended to "be employed in depositing measured quantities ofchocolate-or likematerials u u I V v rocked or movedl 1n the directionofmovewards to thelowerzend :offthe' oscillatory closure, saidclosure:being prbvided-with other dividing plates in continnation oftheformer plateasothat in effect thejdepositing chamher is transverselydivided into a plurality of similar chambers, collectively but equallyfed by the measuring and feeding rollers and collectively governed bythe extrusion valve and relief valve.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is'a cross section of the apparatusaccording to the present invention.

Fig. 2a vertical section on line 22, Fig. 1.

As is usual in this class of apparatus for measuring and depositingplastic substances, there is provided for the reception ofsaidsubstances, a vessel or hopper a, conveniently jacketed as at a fortempering medium and provided with heaters or stirrers 7) and additionalfeed "wheels with, preferably, serrated peripheries. WVithinthe vessel aand at the base thereof are two measur ng and feeding rollers c,providcd'on their peripheries with teeth the cavities between said teethand the curved side surfaces of said vessel,

with which the rollers contact, forming the measuring chamber.

Now according to the present invention the shafts c 0 of the rollers c,c are placed at a distance apart sufiicient for the interpositionbetween the peripheries of said rollers of an oscillatory closure fcomprising a pivotally 1110U11ttl member 7, on either side of which isrigidly fixed a depending plate f? flanged at, its lower end to engagethe peripheries of the. respective rollers 0, 0

The oscillatory closure fis'also provided at its upper end, preferablyat its axis of rotation, with a relief valve 9 which may beinterconnected with an extrusion valve 6 within a discharge opening 6,as r for example by arms g and link 9 in such a manner that when eithervalve is closed the other is open.

The space 6 between the innerwall of the casing (4 adjacent saiddischarge opening, the

peripheries of the rollers c, 0 and the oscillatory member constitutethe depos ting chamber.

It will beapparent that" the measuring and feeding rollers 0, 0 can .becontinuously driven since, if the extrusion valve 6 is closed,

the plastic substance fedinto the depositing chamber 6 will passbackinto the vessel a through the relief valve 9'.

For the purpose of depositing in a plu rality of rows, it is usual toprovide trans- "verse dividing plates at intervals along the length ofthe vessel (4, said plates conveniently extending up to the hubs of therollers. This oscillatory closure is also provided with dividing platesf in the same vertical plane as the dividing plates of the vessel. Itwill be understoodthat the extrusion outlet 6' and its valve 0 maybesimilarly divided as at f 7, respectively, into a plurality of nozzlesor i other forms ofdelivery openings if desired.

Trunnion bearings h may be provided in 'the upperpart of the vessel 11saboutwhich said vessel is capable of rocking movement ing a vibratoryclosure, a relief valve in the space between said plates, the axes ofsaid rollers being placed at adistance apartsufficient for theinterposition of said closure between their peripheries, said, plates attheir lower ends engaging the peripheriesofthe measuring and feedingrollers.

2. Apparatus for measuring and'depositing plastic substances comprisingin combination a container for the substance to-be fed.

having a discharge opening therein,'peripherally-tootlied measuring andfeeding rollers rotatably disposed within said container and adapted todischarge a measured quantity of said substance through said dischargeopening, cut-off valve in said discharge opening,

a pair of spaced depending plates forming a vibratory closure pivoted ata point above its points of contact with the peripheries of saidrollers, a relief valve in the space between said plates, the axes ofsaid rollers being placed at a distance apart suflicient for theinterposition of said closurebetween their peripheries, said, plates attheir lower ends engaging the peripheries of the measuring and feedingrollers and adapted to be oscillated by the teeth on therollers duringtheir rotation. I

3. Apparatus for measuring and depositing plastic substances comprisingin combination a container for the substance to be fed having adischarge opening therein, peripherally-toothed measuring and feedingrollers rotatably disposed within said container and adapted todischarge a measured quantity of said substance through said'dischargeopen-' mg, a cutoft valve in said discharge opening,

a pair of spaced depending plates forming a vibratory closure pivoted atapoint above its points of contact with the peripheries of said rollers,a relief valve in the space between said. plates, means whereby therelief valve is so interconnected with the cut-off valve that wheneither valveis closed the'other is opened, the axesof saidrollers beingplaced at a distanee apart suflicient forthe interposition of saidclosure between their-peripheries, said plates at their lower endsengaging the peripheries of the measuring and feeding rollers andadaptedto be oscillated by. the teeth on tlie'rollers duringtheir rotation.

4. Apparatus for measuring and deposit ing plastic substances comprisingin combination a container for the substance to be fedperipherally-toothed measuring and feeding rollers rotatably disposedWithin said c0ntainer and adapted to discharge a measured quantity ofsaid substance through said'discharge opening, a pair of spaceddepending plates forming a vibratory closure pivoted at a point aboveits points of contact with the peripheries of said rollers, dividingplates within said closure in continuation of the dividing plates ofthecontainer a relief valve in the space between said spaced dependingplates, means whereby the relief valve is so interconnected with thecut-off valve that when either is closed the other is opened, the

axes of said rollers being placed at a distance apart sufiicient for theinterposition of said closure between their peripheries said plates attheir lower ends engaging the peripheries ot the measuring and feedingrollers and adapted to be oscillated by the teeth on the rollers duringtheir rotation. a

In witness whereof I have signed this specification. j

GWENDOLINE DENNING BUNOE,

zldmin-z'stmtrim of the Estate of J 07m Per- 'oival Bunce, Deceased.

